Gameday+ | Forget playoff; Ohio State focused on Michigan

Not since the epic 2006 battle between top-ranked Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan has so much been at stake for The Game as it is today at Ohio Stadium.

This time, it's the No. 2 Buckeyes against the No. 3 Wolverines. A spot in the Big Ten championship game is on the line for Michigan, and, if Michigan State upsets Penn State, for Ohio State.

Unless utter chaos strikes in other big games around the country, the loser on Saturday can forget about a chance of getting into the College Football Playoff.

But even championship talk is secondary to the simple, unquenchable desire to beat your arch-rival.

>>> Got a question about the Buckeyes? Ask the Experts!

'For me, looking at that fifth pair of gold pants that would be something that " (never mind) the 2014 national championship " would be the No. 1 source of pride,' fifth-year senior linebacker Joe Burger said of his career accomplishments.

The Buckeyes have earned those gold pants by winning all four Michigan games under Urban Meyer. But only now is Michigan close to being on a par in terms of talent and coaching. Jim Harbaugh's return to his alma mater has revitalized a program that plummeted following that 2006 game.

A victory today in Harbaugh's first appearance at Ohio Stadium since he guaranteed " and delivered " a victory as Michigan's quarterback in the 1986 game would announce for certainty that the Wolverines are back among the country's elite.

Meyer was a graduate assistant at Ohio State that year. He and Harbaugh were born in the same Toledo hospital seven months apart. Their relationship is limited but cordial.

But their programs' rivalry is never far from their thoughts.

'This is a year-round preparation game and something we take very seriously,' Meyer said.

A countdown clock in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center constantly reminds the Buckeyes how long it is until the teams meet. Often during the offseason, senior center Pat Elflein said, the Buckeyes will do drills based on that.

'Say it's 230 days until we play that game,' he said. 'We'll do 230 reps of a workout " pushups, sit-ups, curls, whatever it is " to signify how many days until we play that team. So yeah, it's always on our mind.'

The teams are mirror images of each other in some ways. Both feature rugged defenses. Michigan gives up the fewest yards per game in the country (245.6) and yields only 4.06 per play. Ohio State is fourth in total defense (279.8) and surrenders just 4.29 per snap.

As stout as they are against the run, the Buckeyes and Wolverines are even better against the pass. Ohio State and Michigan rank first and second nationally in pass defense efficiency. The Buckeyes have a school-record six interceptions returned for touchdowns.

On offense, each team has alternated between dominance and mediocrity, with the struggles mainly coming in the passing game. When the Buckeyes have struggled, quarterback J.T. Barrett has been hesitant in the pocket and receivers have had trouble getting separation.

Michigan quarterback Wilton Speight progressed nicely through the year, but his status is in doubt because of an injury sustained two weeks ago in the loss to Iowa. John O'Korn filled in last week in miserable conditions. His play did not reassure Wolverines fans.

So who has the upper hand? Throughout the season, that perception has ebbed and flowed. When the Buckeyes rolled in the first month of the season, their fans felt confident that they remained clearly better. Then came their October struggles, including the loss at Penn State. Concern gripped Buckeye Nation.

That was followed by Ohio State's consecutive 62-3 demolitions of Nebraska and Maryland, and Michigan's loss. The pendulum swung back. Last week, each team survived a close call in brutal weather.

All that's certain is that only one team will be left standing by late this afternoon. And that team will be standing proud.

Debate about the Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff can wait until then.

'That's what we train for year-round " this game,' Burger said. 'To be naĆÆve enough to look at the College Football Playoffs, that'd be stupid, in my opinion. This is all we care about 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. To look past that after all the work we've put in, that's not who we are.'

Brabinowitz@dispatch.com

@brdispatch

Ohio State vs. Michigan

Kickoff: Noon Saturday, Ohio Stadium (104,943)

Forecast: 45 degrees, cloudy

Favorite: Ohio State by 6 ½

TV: ABC (Channel 6)

Announcers

Chris Fowler (play-by-play)

Kirk Herbstreit (analysis)

Sam Ponder (sideline)

Tom Rinaldi (sideline)

Radio: WBNS-FM/AM (97.1/1460)

Announcers

Paul Keels (play-by-play)

Jim Lachey (analysis)

Dom Tiberi (sideline)

Bill Rabinowitz

Finally, the game is worthy of the rivalry.

Not since the epic 2006 battle between top-ranked Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan has so much been at stake for The Game as it is today at Ohio Stadium.

This time, it's the No. 2 Buckeyes against the No. 3 Wolverines. A spot in the Big Ten championship game is on the line for Michigan, and, if Michigan State upsets Penn State, for Ohio State.

Unless utter chaos strikes in other big games around the country, the loser on Saturday can forget about a chance of getting into the College Football Playoff.

But even championship talk is secondary to the simple, unquenchable desire to beat your arch-rival.

>>> Got a question about the Buckeyes? Ask the Experts!

'For me, looking at that fifth pair of gold pants that would be something that " (never mind) the 2014 national championship " would be the No. 1 source of pride,' fifth-year senior linebacker Joe Burger said of his career accomplishments.

The Buckeyes have earned those gold pants by winning all four Michigan games under Urban Meyer. But only now is Michigan close to being on a par in terms of talent and coaching. Jim Harbaugh's return to his alma mater has revitalized a program that plummeted following that 2006 game.

A victory today in Harbaugh's first appearance at Ohio Stadium since he guaranteed " and delivered " a victory as Michigan's quarterback in the 1986 game would announce for certainty that the Wolverines are back among the country's elite.

Meyer was a graduate assistant at Ohio State that year. He and Harbaugh were born in the same Toledo hospital seven months apart. Their relationship is limited but cordial.

But their programs' rivalry is never far from their thoughts.

'This is a year-round preparation game and something we take very seriously,' Meyer said.

A countdown clock in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center constantly reminds the Buckeyes how long it is until the teams meet. Often during the offseason, senior center Pat Elflein said, the Buckeyes will do drills based on that.

'Say it's 230 days until we play that game,' he said. 'We'll do 230 reps of a workout " pushups, sit-ups, curls, whatever it is " to signify how many days until we play that team. So yeah, it's always on our mind.'

The teams are mirror images of each other in some ways. Both feature rugged defenses. Michigan gives up the fewest yards per game in the country (245.6) and yields only 4.06 per play. Ohio State is fourth in total defense (279.8) and surrenders just 4.29 per snap.

As stout as they are against the run, the Buckeyes and Wolverines are even better against the pass. Ohio State and Michigan rank first and second nationally in pass defense efficiency. The Buckeyes have a school-record six interceptions returned for touchdowns.

On offense, each team has alternated between dominance and mediocrity, with the struggles mainly coming in the passing game. When the Buckeyes have struggled, quarterback J.T. Barrett has been hesitant in the pocket and receivers have had trouble getting separation.

Michigan quarterback Wilton Speight progressed nicely through the year, but his status is in doubt because of an injury sustained two weeks ago in the loss to Iowa. John O'Korn filled in last week in miserable conditions. His play did not reassure Wolverines fans.

So who has the upper hand? Throughout the season, that perception has ebbed and flowed. When the Buckeyes rolled in the first month of the season, their fans felt confident that they remained clearly better. Then came their October struggles, including the loss at Penn State. Concern gripped Buckeye Nation.

That was followed by Ohio State's consecutive 62-3 demolitions of Nebraska and Maryland, and Michigan's loss. The pendulum swung back. Last week, each team survived a close call in brutal weather.

All that's certain is that only one team will be left standing by late this afternoon. And that team will be standing proud.

Debate about the Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff can wait until then.

'That's what we train for year-round " this game,' Burger said. 'To be naĆÆve enough to look at the College Football Playoffs, that'd be stupid, in my opinion. This is all we care about 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. To look past that after all the work we've put in, that's not who we are.'

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